Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

Introduction: Skin diseases, not only may have physical consequences
but also costly psychological consequences in one’s life. The present
study was conducted to compare the effect of group counseling with the
approaches of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) and Acceptance and
Commitment Therapy (ACT) on the internalized shame of patients with
vitiligo.
Material & Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test
and post-test design and follow-up and control groups. The study
population consisted of all women with vitiligo who were referred to
Razi Hospital, in Tehran, in 1399. A total of 45 persons who met the
inclusion criteria were purposefully selected and randomly divided into 3
groups of 15 people each (two experimental groups and one control
group). The study tool included Cook's Internalized Shame Scale (1993).
Descriptive statistics and repeated measures analysis of variance was
used to test the research hypotheses. The data were analyzed using SPSS
software (version 20).
(Ethic code: R.IAU.SRB.REC.1399.125)
Findings: Both CFT and ACT therapeutic approaches were effective in
reducing internalized shame in patients with vitiligo, compared to the
control group. A comparison of the two approaches showed no
significant differences between the two experimental groups of CFT and
ACT in terms of all components of shyness, self-esteem, and internalized
shame.
Discussion & Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, the above-
mentioned treatments can be used to improve the psychological status of
patients with vitiligo.
 

مقدمه:بیماریهایآشکار همچون بیماریهای پوستی،نهتنهاممکن است عوارض جسمی را به همراه خود داشته
باشند، بلکه ممکن است با عوارض روانی پرهزینهتری در زندگی مبتالیان همراه گردند.پژوهش حاضربهمنظور مقایسۀ
تأثیر مشاورۀ گروهی با رویکرد شفقتدرمانی و درمان مبتنی برپذیرشوتعهد بر شرمدرونیشدۀ بیماران مبتال به
ویتیلیگو انجام گرفت.
موادو روشها:روش پژوهش از نوع شبهآزمایشی، همراه با پیشآزمونو پسآزمون و پیگیری و گروه کنترل بود.
جامعۀ پژوهش حاضر را همۀ زنان مبتال به ویتیلیگو مراجعهکننده به بیمارستان رازی تهران در سال1399تشکیلدادندکه از
میان آنان45نفر به شیوۀ هدفمند، پس از کنترل مالکهای ورود و خروج، انتخاب شدند و بهصورت تصادفی در3گروه
15نفری (دو گروه آزمایش و یک گروه کنترل) قرار گرفتند. ابزارسنجش در این مطالعهپرسشنامۀ شرمدرونیشدۀ کوک
(1993) است.بهمنظوربررسی فرضیههای پژوهش، از روشهای آمار توصیفی و تحلیل واریانس به شیوۀ اندازهگیری مکرر،
با استفاده از نرمافزارSPSS vol.24بهره گرفته شد.
یافتهها:نتایج این تحقیق نشان داد،هر دو درمان مبتنی بر پذیرشوتعهد و شفقت،نسبت به گروه کنترل، در کاهش شرم
درونیشدۀ بیماران مؤثر بودند. در مقایسۀ دو رویکرد نیز یافتهها نشان دادند، در همۀمؤلفههای کمرویی،عزتنفسو شرم
درونیشده، دو گروه آزمایشی شفقت وپذیرشوتعهدباهمتفاوت معناداری نداشتند.
بحث ونتیجهگیری:میتوان از ایندرمانهابهمنظوربهبود وضعیتروانشناختیبیماران مبتال به ویتیلیگو بهره گرفت.
 

Background
Perspective-taking exercises are used in a range of therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Therapy (CT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT). Perspective-taking has been theorised in ACT to foster cognitive defusion, self-compassion and a sense of self as distinct from and containing self-related negative thoughts and feelings. To date, few experimental studies have investigated the impact of typical perspective-taking exercises. This study sought to investigate whether perspective-taking exercises were able to decrease state cognitive fusion and emotional discomfort and increase state self-compassion associated with a self-related, negative thought (SRNT). It also sought to investigate whether there are differences in effects between temporal (‘now’ vs ‘then’) and interpersonal (‘self’ vs ‘other’) perspective-taking and between giving and receiving perspectives.

Method
A convenience sample of non-clinical participants (n = 61) generated a SRNT and then rated levels of emotional discomfort, state cognitive fusion and state self-compassion in relation to the thought. Participants were then guided through three within-participant conditions: a control procedure, a giving perspective and a receiving perspective condition. Participants were allocated to one of two groups: temporal perspective-taking or interpersonal perspective-taking. Mixed ANOVAs showed that both interpersonal and temporal exercises significantly reduced emotional discomfort and cognitive fusion and increased self-compassion associated with a SRNT. The effects of giving or receiving perspective differed between interpersonal and temporal groups.

Conclusion
These results provide experimental evidence that perspective-taking is a psychologically beneficial process, therefore supporting the existing use of perspective-taking exercises in clinical practice.

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Although there is some evidence on the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions in improving health and psychological outcomes in women with breast cancer, further research is needed to understand these findings’ clinical significance. Furthermore, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention studies on breast cancer are scarce, and no compassion-based intervention has been tested for cancer patients. Given the complementarity and compatibility of mindfulness practice, ACT, and Compassion Focused Therapy, the current study combined these approaches to develop an integrative intervention specifically adapted to cancer patients, the Mind programme. Participants were recruited at the Radiotherapy Service of the Coimbra University Hospital (CHUC) and were assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group (Treatment As Usual + Mind Programme (8 weekly sessions and homework assignments) – n = 15) and the control group (Treatment As Usual – n = 17). There was a 100% retention on the experimental group, during the intervention. The effect size for psychological health (g = 0.79) was particularly noteworthy, suggesting that the intervention presented benefits that are comparable to mindfulness only-based interventions. The experimental group also improved on physical health (g = 0.16), quality of social relationships (g = 0.42), depression symptoms (g = −0.42), and stress (g = −0.32). Participants reported it was important for them to take part in the programme, and that it improved the way they deal with difficulties. Results indicate that the Mind programme may be a useful complement to the medical treatment of breast cancer and support the combination of acceptance, mindfulness, and compassion-based components in this context. Having an accessible and integrative psychological programme for people with cancer may significantly help improving quality of life and mental health in this population. Further implications are discussed.

To find the full text version of this article and others (as well as download a full text .pdf.), ACBS members can visit the ScienceDirect homepage here.

Highlights:

• Compassion Focused Therapy shows promise for treating anger and PTSD in Veterans.
• Treatment dropout was low: 64% of patients completed at least 9 of the 12 sessions.
• The intervention decreased anger symptoms, PTSD symptoms, and fears of compassion.
• Compassion Focused Therapy was endorsed by patients as relevant and enjoyable.
• Further, large-scale study of Compassion Focused Therapy in this area is supported.

ACBS member can find the full text version of this article and others (as well as download a full text .pdf.) in the JCBS portal.

Described as a contextual behavioural approach, Compassion-focused Therapy (CFT) aims at helping people develop compassionate relationships both with others and with the self. CFT has been used to promote recovery in psychosis with promising results. The development process of the Compassionate Approach to Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder (COMPASS) builds upon the available research on contextual behavioural approaches for psychosis. Its main framework is the affect regulation system's model and the compassion-focused therapy rationale as it was adapted for psychosis. Other theoretical and empirical influences are presented and innovations regarding CFT protocols for psychosis are highlighted. COMPASS is already being studied and details on the pilot study are provided. With further study and continuing improvement COMPASS has the potential to help foster recovery in psychosis.